Category: Marine Corps Stories

Marine Corps Corvette

It was a pleasure speaking with you and, as promised, I have attached a few photos of our 1998 Corvette Roadster with its military (primarily Marine Corps – of course!) theme.

As I mentioned to you, the two chrome auto emblems that I ordered are going to be installed on the stereo speakers on the inside of the two doors. The paint on our white Corvette is a "ghosted" purple pearl that runs from the Marine Corps emblem painted on the nose of the car through the checkered flags that run over the hood, around on the sides of the quarter panels (and on the inside door panels) and then up on to the trunk deck, and look tattered to reflect the motion of the car. If you are looking at the car, the checkered flags appear to be gray/green at first, until the sun hits and then the purple shines through. read more

My Office

My wife is the greatest! When we moved recently into a larger home she infomed me that the spare bedroom was going to be for me and my Marine Corps things. When I asked if I could help with the room she told me no. Needless to say, she and my daughter did all the work with this room (minus installing the crown molding) and they picked out all the colors, etc… This is my favorite room in the house! read more

Why we love our military.

At the Golden Triangle Veterans Memorial park on Hwy 87 in Port Arthur , Texas on Monday May 28th (Memorial Day) 2012. My wife and I arrived at 2pm as the band began to play and the service started at 2:30pm. When we got there the pavilion was full but we were able to squeeze into the back left hand corner under the roof in the shade. While the program was going on I was listening to a friend of mine, retired Colonel Chris Lamson, with 25 years active duty in the Marines and I looked over my right shoulder and noticed the old veteran setting on the wall. His wife had been holding the umbrella over his head and laid it down to stand up where she could see the speaker and hear what was being said. When I turned to look the second time I noticed the Marine had stepped forward, picked up the umbrella and was holding it over the older gentleman. You can tell by the shadow that only the left shoulder and arm of the Marine was in the shade. Notice his right hand behind his back standing at parade rest in full dress blues. Not once did he flinch. The temperature forecast that day was predicted to be 90 degrees or more in the shade. In Southeast Texas the humidity can also match the temperature. If you have ever worn a set of dress blues you would understand how hot they are. He stood there until the service was over. When it was over I walked up to him and said " Thank you for such a kind act for the old veteran" He just looked at me and nodded as if to say, "it was my duty". As I walked away with a tear in my eye and my heart swelling it made me proud to know that the old traditions are still carried on. It was 57 years ago this summer that I joined the Marines.   Cpl. Bill Feidler Port Arthur, TX

C Company 3rd Tank Bn, Chu Lai, Early 1965

Dear Sgt Grit,

I thought someone might be interested in these pictures.
My three platoons were attached to Battalions and my Headquarters was located inside the Regimental Headquarters perimeter less then a mile from the beach.

The one of the Company CP was taken after we had been there a week or so and only shortly before some VC's slipped in between two outpost and shot up our water point with French 22cal submachine guns and threw han gernades at our cooks' tents. One of my two cooks, a Corporal, was wounded by a gernade fagment in his elbow. He was the only Marine to return fire at the VCs. My other cook was very lucky. He had a dud gernade land under the head of his cot. He never woke up during the excitement. The next morning, there was the gernade next to his duffle bag with his name clearly stenciled on the bag. That was quite a picture. The only other casualities from this was the total unnecessary loss of two helicopters and crews that collided on take off from the carrier before dawn. They were FRAG to pickup my Corporal whose wound was not serious and could have waited. read more

Starting Off On The Wrong Foot

My CO and I did not get off to a good start. He was a dual cool Force Recon Sergeant Rock in charge of the FUBB platoon. I was a smart mouthed 27 year old sniper shooter recruited from the Army by the USMC to be their hot-shot tourney winner and put the USMC on the snake-eater’s map. But, why me? Why here? Of all the mudrucker places on earth, why here?! read more

Haircut

It was requal week at the rifle range, and I had yet to qualify. Fustrating to say the least. Thursday came and went, and I relaxed more on the range, but not enough to shoot well on anything but the rapid-fire. After getting inventoried mid-day, I was told by Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Morgan, I needed a haircut. My bob cut was too long and touching my collar. Ordered the scribe to write a walking chit to the salon for me. read more

My life in USMC

I joined the Marines in Nov 1973. I had a BA in Math when I went to enlisted boot camp.  1st day I wanted to quit. Not because I couln't run or do pullups etc. I was in excellent shape, age 22 ran Marathons, ran 3 mi in 17 min, 20 pullups etc.  I just hated boot camp the 1st week. DI  told me I can leave boot only 3 ways:  successfully do boot camp, or get in trouble, go to brig etc get a bad discharge, or 3  DIE!!  So I chose to finish boot camp, 94 days in boot camp. Winter very cold in Rifle Range Camp Pendleton.  They tried to make me a squad leader but I messed up on the "Column of files, to the left! Hut!"  column of files, from the right etc.  I messed up, DI asked me Do you want pvt Perry to replace you?  I said That's Fine Sir!  I got fired of course from squad leader, had to go to one day Dirt CC Correctional Platoon if you will.  I still did finish boot, went to Disbursing school in NC  Camp Lejeune, SwaMP  Lagoon.  Then Kansas City Mo  MCFC  Marine Corps Finance Center,  I made Cpl  did 2 yrs , got out  came back did 2 more yrs, went to OCS as a Cpl from KCMO.  I chose to not finish OCS  DOR  Drop on Request.  Later I returned to the Marines just for fun, KCMO and Okinawa.  CC 30 days  Correctional custody  for petty BS no violence.  I lost 30 lbs in 2 wks at CC it was fun.  Now retired Dept Water Power  LA Calif  with a pension equal to that of a LT Col read more